WHITE ANTS* 
m 
nished with four wings, and emigrate or colonize at 
the same season ; they are by no means the same 
kind of insects, nor does their form correspond with 
that of ants in any one state of their existence, 
which, like most other insects, is changed several 
times. The termites resemble the ants also in their 
provident and diligent labour, but surpass them, as 
well as bees, wasps, beavers, and all other animals 
which 1 have ever heard of, in the arts of building, 
as much as the Europeans excel the least cultivated 
Savages. It is more than probable they excel them 
as much in sagacity and the arts of government : it 
is certain they show more substantial instances of 
their ingenuity and industry than any other ani- 
mals ; and do in fact lay up vast magazines of pro- 
visions and other stores ; a degree of prudence which 
of late years has been denied, perhaps without rea- 
son, to the ants. 
“Their communities consist of one male and one 
female, (who are generally the common parents of 
the whole, or greater part of the rest,) and of three 
orders of insects, apparently of very different spe- 
cies, but really the same, which together compose 
great commonwealths, or rather monarchies, if I 
may be allowed the term. The great Linnaeus, 
having seen or heard of but two of these orders, has 
classed the genus erroneously ; for he has placed it 
among the optera , or insects without wings: whereas 
the chief order, that is to say, the insect in its per- 
fect state, having four wings without any sting, it 
